Means for improving the ejection of masses



`Fuly l, 1947. G. MONNET Y 2,423,109

MEANS FOR IMPROVING THE EJECTION OF MASSES 4 Filed July-l, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l ZAZSQ I Juy E, w47! G. MONNET MEANS FOR IMPROVING THE EJECTION OF MASSKES Filed July 1, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Georges Monne By Patented July 1, 1947 .yg-,1 ,srAras OFFICE MEANS FOR IMPROVING THE EJECTION OF MASSES 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a method and means for improving the ejection of solid, liquid and gaseous masses. The invention is particularly concerned Withries, guns, flame Ythrowers, and apparatus for jet propulsion.

.All of the above mentioned machines have in common an elongated barrel or tube out of which a mass is ejected. In the case of rifles, guns and machine guns, it is the bullet vor the shell which is being ejected, Vwhile the ame thrower ejects a burning liquid, and a jet propulsion apparatus ejects combustion gases.

One of the most serious drawbacks of barrels or tubes 'in the vabove describedmachines is the rapid heating thereof to-a temperature at which firing becomes impossible.

It is, therefore, an object of the vpresent invention to provide automatically operable coo'ling means, which will adequately cool :the -outer surfaces ofthe barrel or tube `and thereby con- U siderably .increase the efiiciency of the machine.

The 'present invention is based in part'on 'the realization that the ejection of la mass through a muzzle creates sub-atmospheric pressure vor even a vacuum around this -muzzle which vmay be utilized for the purpose of creating a ow of air or other gases thereto.

It is, therefore, another and equally important object of the present invention to utilize Athe sub-atmospheric lpressure existing at the lmuzzle for lthe'purpose of creating la gaseous '-flow which will improve the operation'of the machine.

Another object 'is to facilitate the cooling of barrels and tubes by fthe provision of a -gaseous flow around them.

A further object of the present invention is vto increasethe rangeor distance to which a mass may be ejected by providing Ya gaseous flow traveling -in substantially the same ldirection as course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the objects of the `present conform to the rifling of the barrel.

invention, the vsuction created Vat the muzzle of a `barrel or tube during firing is utilized to provide a flow of air along the barrel and toward the muzzle. For that purpose the barrel is enlclosedfin 2a tube which extends `preferably along the entire -lengthof Athe kbarrel and is supported by ribs. The ribs may be `straight or helical to A silencer or similar member is connected With the sleeve Yand is located in front ofthe muzzle. The sleeve is rnovable 'lengthwise upon the barrel, and various means may be .provided Yto vary the amount and lextent :of .the gaseous flow.

The invention -Will appear more clearly from the `'following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing, .by Way of example, preferred embodiments of the .inventive idea.

iin fthe drawing:

Figure l is a section through a barrel provided with a device constructed in accordance with the principlesk ofthe present invention. Fig- Lure 1a illustrates the silencer.

Figure 2 is .a .detailed sectional view 0f the muzzle portion of the barrel. Figure 2a vis a fragmental side view partly in section of a barrel l,with helical ribs.

Figure 3 is `a section along Vthe line 3-3 of 'Figure 2.

Figure 4 vis a sectional view through a differently constructed device.

iFigure `5 iis a detailed vsectional view of the outer end of vthe device.

Figure a6 is an `end view of 'the device.

*Figures 1, ;2 and V3 illustrate abarrel I0. This :barrel may constitute a part of a gun or machine gun. lOn the other hand, the barrel or tube il) may `form the ejecting means of a flame throwen ya :jet vpropelled projectile, or the like. The interior 'H of .the muzzle is provided with the usual rifling I2.

VVIn `accordance with the `present invention the harrel vifl'is :provided with .radially extending ribs dii.. These ribs may constitute an integral part of :the barrel, Vas shown, or they may .be mounted upon it by any suitable means.

The .ribs SH3.. may extend parallel'to the longitudinalaxis or v.the barrel, or they may have vthe form of :helical windings 13a as shown in Figure :2a. Preferably .the :pitch of these windings 3 should be the same as that of the riing, and the ribs should extend parallel -to the rifling.

A pipe or tube I4 is mounted upon the ribs I3 and is carried thereby. Preferably the pipe I4 extends the entire length of the barrel.

As shown in Figure 1, the outer end of the pipe I4 may coincide with the muzzle of the barrel ID and may be provided with screw threads I5 which receive the screw thread I6 of a silencer or chamber-forming element I'I.

The silencer I 'l has a cylindrical portion i8 which is located close to the muzzle and which is provided with openings I9. These openings may be closed by a sleeve 20 which is rotatably mounted upon the portion I8 of the silencer. The sleeve 20 has openings 2|l Which may coincide 'With openings IS of the silencer, thereby providing a communication of the interior 22 of the silencer with the outside atmosphere.

The silencer Il has another larger cylindrical portion 23 and a conical outwardly laringportion 24 which extends between the portions I3 and 23. The portion 23 has openings 24a, the operative area of which may be varied by sleeve 25 having openings 2B which are adapted to coincide with the openings 24a. The sleeve 25 is rotatably mounted upon the cylindrical portion 24.

The outer end of the silencer I'I has the form of a converging conical portion 2'I which is connected to the cylindrical portion 23.

When a bullet or shell is red through barrel I the air in the barrel ahead of the bullet is compressed and upon leaving the barrel forms circular shock waves outside the muzzle. These Waves of gases create a vacuum, or at least a sub-atmospheric pressure in the annular opening 28 located around the muzzle of the barrel and connecting the channels 29 extending between the ribs I3 with the chamber 22 within the silencer Il. This sub-atmospheric pressure within the space 2B Will create a flow of air through the channels 29, particularly if there is a passage or opening 30 connecting the inner end of the pipe I4 with the atmosphere.

This flow of air around the barrel IG and toward its muzzle is furthered by the projectile as it emerges from the muzzle, and by the gases following the projectile, and forming the secondary shock waves.

It is apparent that the extent of the subatmcspheric pressure around the muzzle can be regulated not only by the form of the silencer I'I, but also by varying the operative area of the openings i9 and 24a connecting the space 28 with outside atmosphere.

The described arrangement has considerable advantages over existing constructions.

T 1e amount of additional metal required for the rib I3 and the sleeve I4 is comparatively small and yet the cooling area of the barrel, which can lose its heat through radiation, is increased to a very substantial extent. Thus this arrangement can replace existing hydraulic cooling systems and Will make it possible for an operator to touch the outer tube I4 for the purpose of manipulating the machine without 'danger of being injured. The heat of the barrel i0 is communicated only very slowly to the tube I4 since contact areas are small and since there is a layer of insulating air in the passages 29.

A further advantage of this construction is that the required strength of the barrel may be maintained even though the thickness of the metal around the bore is diminished since such the ribs I3.

Thus the present construction provides an excellent cooling for a fast firing gun due to the provision of a greater cooling surface, a substantial air space between the parts I0 and I4, andthe provision of means for regulating the flow of air.

On the other hand, this cooling of the barrel will provide a greater length of ring, greater accuracy, and a greater range.

It is apparent that in accordance with described construction, currents of air are established which ilow substantially in the same direction as the projectile and which may be rotated in synchronism with the projectile. This arrangement has the further advantage that the usual wobbling or yaw inthe rst stages of trajectory will be eliminated. The undesirable flash at the muzzle of the gun Will be also considerably reduced.

A further advantage is the diminution of the force of recoil and of the loudness of the report due to the elimination of many sound Waves.

The device shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 includes dii'lerent means for varying the amount oi ow of the air current along the barrel 40. The barrel is provided with ribs 4I carrying an elongated tube o1' pipe 42 which is loosely mounted upon the ribs.

The outer end of the tube 42 has the form of an outwardly flaring frustro-conical portion 43, which terminates in front of the muzzle and at a distance therefrom.

Passages 44 formed between the ribs 4I are closed by a rear end member 45, which is illustrated diagrammatically in the drawing, and the actual shape of which depends upon the use to which the barrel 4 is put.

The passages 44 communicate with the atmosphere through an opening 46 which can be varied in size, or closed by a sleeve 41. The sleeve 4'I can be moved longitudinally upon the tube 42 for the purpose of varying the operative area of the opening 46.

Furthermore, the entire tube 42 may be shifted longitudinally upon the barrel 40, thus varying the operative size of the opening 46, and also varying the distance of the end piece 43 from the muzzle of the barrel and, consequently, the size of the chamber 48.

This possibility of varying the operative size of the opening 46 and of the chamber 48 located in front of the muzzle makes it possible to adapt the extent of the gaseous ilow along the barrel to the speed of firing and the mode of operating the gun in general. The shifting of the sleeve 42 will increase or decrease this gaseous flow so that the operator, for instance, can increase the ow When the speed of ring is increased, when the barrel becomes unduly hot, or for a variety of other reasons.

It is apparent that the invention shown above has been given solely by Way of illustration and not by Way of limitation, and that the illustrated examples are capable of wide variation and modification without departing from the scope or in tent of the present invention. This device may be used in conjunction with the usual barrel which may receive ns of the same or other metal of higher heat conductivity which in turn will support a properly insulated outer tube. The

fins allow free circulation of cooling air iloW. All,

of such variations and modifications are to be included Within the scope of the present invention.

Number for varying the size of said passage, and ribs car- 10 Number ried by said barrel and vcarrying said sleeve.

GEORGES MONNET.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 15 le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hookham Mar. 14, 1899 Lewis Oct, 3, 1911 Pohlmann Sept. 1, 1925 Baumann July 13, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1912 France Jan. 14, 1937 

